


Shadows Settle On The Place That You Left

by celestialwishes



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: And has a hard time trusting people anymore, Inspiration by Cris’ interview, Leo is lonely, Link in notes, M/M, Not a lot of chapters, Post Cris to Juventus, Short Chapters, The Cressi Discord Chat brought me here, They're partly the inspiration for this quic fic, it gets less depressing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-16 04:47:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16947282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialwishes/pseuds/celestialwishes
Summary: Leo comes home to the same. Sunlight flashing through the glass of the windows, illuminating the room. Soft cold breeze flowing through the open front door of his house, a winter’s breath. The cup of tea is sat in the exact spot he left it this morning, next to a book collecting dust on the table.It’s all the same.Until he checks his phone.





	Shadows Settle On The Place That You Left

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11095/11577304/cristiano-ronaldo-urges-barcelonas-lionel-messi-to-join-him-in-italy
> 
> ^ Inspiration for this fic.

 

“Are you done?”

 

Leo blinks awake from his daydream. He’s standing, sweatpants clenched around his legs and hips, small droplets of water sliding down his bare back and chest while also dripping from his hair that falls into his eyes. His hand is clenched around the open door of his locker as he stares blankly into it. Once his name is called, he turns to the source of the voice calling him, slightly startled.

 

Geri is peering down at him with curious bright blue eyes, a frown of concern etching it’s way across his face like the scratches of pencil markings against soft paper. 

 

“What?”

 

Geri straightened then, amusement washing out the evident worry that rest inside a mere second ago. “I said— you done? You froze for a moment there. What’s on your mind, Leo?”

 

Leo turns back to look into his locker, letting his eyes wander over the sews of his plain black sweater.

 

”Nothing.”

 

Nothing.

 

Absolutely nothing.

 

”If you say so.” Geri nods, twisting the glimmering keys of his car in his hand gently, reaching over and patting Leo’s shoulder before walking off. “I’m here if you need it, though.”

 

Of course Geri was here. Geri would always be here. If there was anyone more Blauranga than Leo, it was Geri. So was Andres.

 

Leo stares blankly across the locker room, his eyes landing on the red seat labeled with a soft yellow **8**.

 

But Andres is gone.

 

He turns back to his locker, pulling out the sweater and shoving it on with more vigor than was needed. He grabbed his bag and pulled out his keys, shuffling out the door. Ousmane passes by him with a sheepish, slightly nervous smile. Leo can only force one back with a polite greeting. The **11** on his shirt made something in Leo’s chest squeeze as well as the amazed eyes of the France player watching him excitedly as he left. He’s seen it before. He allowed it before. Neymar’s chirpy grin passes through his mind like a slap of cold air in his face. 

 

It was easier not to get attached this time. They all leave. They always leave. He never realized how pointless it was. To be able to open your heart out to someone who in a few years, would up and leave without a single word. 

 

He never blamed him. Never blamed any of them. To stay at Barça for as long as he has, it drained the living soul out of people. It was demanding and cruel. But rewarding, all the same.

 

It took a certain mindset. One that was so difficult to control.

 

So no. He didn’t blame Neymar. Neymar wouldn’t be able to keep up. Growing with big name clubs demanded a lot that few had the strength to give. Not just in Barcelona.

 

He anticipated for all of them to go, eventually. Like David, Ibra, Sanchez, Ney...

 

But if there was one that absolutely destroyed him, it was Ronaldo. The only one that shocked him, the one he _never_ anticipated.

 

Ronaldo wasn’t suppose to leave.

 

He shouldn’t have _left_.

 

_Why did you leave?_

 

He wanted to ask. Badly. Surely there must have been something here worth staying for. He had to have had something to anchor himself on for when things got difficult.

 

_Was there nothing in Spain worth while? For you to go so suddenly? Why? You had everything here.... Everything._

Leo laughs then. It’s a bitter, loud laugh. Filled with dry humor.

 

Because who was Leo— to ask such things from the great Cristiano Ronaldo?

 

To Ronaldo, he’s nothing.

 

Nothing at all.


End file.
